The invention is directed to a method and apparatus for use in burning and dodging selected areas of an image formed on photographic paper from a developed negative.
The invention is particularly directed to a frame having plural spaced light transmissive elements preferably arranged in a grid pattern. One or more cut-outs of light blocking material may be placed on the filaments to dodge selected areas on the photographic paper. A sheet of light blocking material having one or more apertures may be placed on the grid to burn selected areas on the photographic paper.
By "burning" is meant giving additional exposure to part of the image projected on the photographic paper to make that part of the image darker. By "dodging" is meant holding back the imageforming light from a part of the photographic paper to make that part of the image lighter.
By "photographic paper" is meant light-sensitive paper used to produce an image from a developed negative. The photographic and physical characteristics of such paper are well-known and are described in the literature.
Heretofore, a selected area of a photographic paper could be dodged by holding a piece of cardboard or plastic light blocking material between the negative and the photographic paper during the printing operation. A stiff wire or other makeshift handle could be attached to the light-blocking material to facilitate placement of the material at the desired location between the negative and the photographic paper without obstructing the path of light to the paper by the user's hand.
Generally, the light blocking material is opaque so that the user cannot view the image being formed on the photographic paper through the material. Accordingly, initial alignment of the material to dodge the precise area of interest on the paper is somewhat difficult.
In addition, this technique permits only one area of the paper to be dodged at any given instant of time. If more than one area on the paper must be dodged, it is necessary to manipulate the light blocking material between two or more locations to alternatively block light from reaching each of the areas of interest on the paper. This may be difficult and, in some cases, impossible to do with accuracy.
The present invention permits accurate alignment of the light blocking material with the precise area to be dodged on the photographic paper.
The invention also permits the simultaneous dodging of more than one area on the photographic paper.
The invention also permits the rapid and accurate burning of more than one area of the photographic paper.
Heretofore, in burning a selected area on the photographic paper, a sheet of black plastic material was provided with one or more apertures and mounted on a piece of cardboard or the like. The cardboard itself was provided with an aperture. The plastic material could be rotated to bring any one of the apertures in the plastic into alignment with the aperture in the cardboard to burn a selected area of the photographic paper.
Two or more spaced areas on the photographic paper could not be simultaneously burned.
In addition, alignment of the apertures in the plastic and cardboard with the precise area of interest on the photographic paper was troublesome.
By the present invention, several areas on the photographic paper can be burned simultaneously and with increased accuracy.